Kup statue not stolen, just out for repairs, City of Chicago says

The Irv Kupcinet memorial statue located near Wabash and Wacker is gone, and the empty base led to rumors about where it went.

April 18, 2014 4:48:39 PM PDT

April 18, 2014 (CHICAGO) --

The Irv Kupcinet memorial statue located near Wabash and Wacker is gone, and the empty base led to rumors about where it went. The answer: out for repairs.

The bronze statue of the former Sun-Times columnist was removed Saturday because the base was damaged, according to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events spokesperson Mary May.

"The damaged base was causing the statue to wobble, and repairs will include strengthening and recladding the base," May said. "The repairs are being done in consultation with the original artist, and will take up to three months to complete."

The base looked damaged and was draped in caution tape, leading to questions about whether the statue had been stolen. After several calls to city officials, it was finally tracked down to a statue repair shop.